A major ailment associated with prolonged excessive pressure on the knee is patellar bursitis, also known as miners' knee or housemaid's knee. Bursitis occurs when the bursa sack (a protective cushioning sack) over the kneecap becomes inflamed, swells and becomes painful. Over time, major knee problems will develop when the cartilage and tissue (meniscus) cushion located between the bones of the knee joint wear out causing bone to wear against bone. Additionally, the excessive pressure can cause a variety of problems including knee burn pain, fluid build up, tissue swelling, loose joints and associated arthritic conditions.
A solution to those problems is for a person to wear knee pads. Knee pads can be used to dissipate energy that could otherwise be absorbed by the front portion of the knees. While a knee pad may provide a softer surface than a floor or the ground, the pads themselves may lead to discomfort after prolonged use. Improvements in knee pads have included contours in the pads to conform to the wearer's knees.
One type of knee pad known in the art includes a hard shell designed to rest against a floor or ground surface and a cushioning pad secured between the shell and the front portion of the user's knee. In this arrangement, the knee undergoes considerable stress from pressure. Knee pads are typically secured to the legs by straps above and below the knee joints. While these provide a cushion for the knee joint area, the straps often bind behind the knee causing discomfort.
It is therefore desirable for a knee pad to have straps that do not bind behind the knee, that will not inhibit a user from walking comfortably while wearing the kneepad, and that will minimize the stress on a user's knee in general. It would also be desirable to provide a knee pad having a forward section for protecting a front portion of a user's knee, as well as a rearward section for protecting at least a portion of the user's lower leg below the user's knee. The present invention meets these and other needs.